Electroformed mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver



ned rates Parent @nice 3,@22597 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 3,@224397 ELECTROFGRMED MU'IHPIPE AND Mtl'lifl- PHECE REQEIVER Earle L. Kent and David Albert Leiter/re, Elkhart, ind.,

assignors to C. G. Conn Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of indiana Filed Dec. 4, 1956, Ser. No. 626,245 2 Claims. {QL S4-398l This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver for a brasswind instrument, and more particularly to a one-piece mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver and method of form ing the same.

In brass-wind instruments such as the trumpet, cornet, trombone and the like, the mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver have previously been formed as separate members. The mouthpipe was usually drawn on a mandrel to obtain the proper inside dimensions. The drawn piece was then cut oit at each end to produce the correct inside diameter and length. The mouthpiece receiver was machined by a reaming operation and cut H to give the correct length and inside diameters. The two parts were then assembled by a soldered joint and a sleeve member soldered in a position covering the soldered joint. It has been extremely diiiicult to maintain closely controlled dimensions at the small end of the mouthpipe and to remove solder from the inside of the mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination when assembled. The dimensions of the mouthpiece receiver and mouthpipe must be maintained to very close tolerances and must be maintained very smooth in order to obtain a part having optimum acoustical properties.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a new and improved combined mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver for a brass-wind instrument having improved acoustical properties.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for preparing a combined mouthpipemouthpiece receiver assembly having optimum acoustical properties.

One feature of this invention is the provision or" a mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination for a brasswind instrument which is formed as a single member and has accurately dened interior dimensions and a smooth interior surface having optimum acoustical properties.

Anotherfeature of this invention is the provision of an improved process for preparing one-piece mouthpipemouthpiece receiver for a brass-wind instrument by electroforming a layer of metal of desired thickness on a two-piece polished mandrel having dimensions which correspond accurately to the interior of a combined mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver member having optimum acoustical properties.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of an improved process for preparing a one-piece mouthpipe-mouthpiece'receiver combination having a smooth polished interior by electroforming on a two-piece mandrel of desired configuration a thin layer of a corrosion resistant metal, such as nickel, gold, tin, platinum,

rhodium, palladium, or corrosion resistant alloys which may be electroplated, followed by electroforrning a desired thickness of any desired metal, such as copper or a copper alloy, on the coated mandrel to produce a metal mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination having av smooth plated interior.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as part of this specification, there is clearly and fully illustrated a preferred embodiment of this invention, in which drawings,

FIG. l is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, of an electroplating tank having a mandrel therein for electroforming a mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination.

FIG. 2 is a view in section of the plating mandrel with a mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination plated thereon,

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the plating mandrel and retaining nut therefor shown in FIGS. l and 2,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination with the plating mandrel removed, and

FIG. 5 is a view showing the mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination with the connections to a cornet dotted in to show the relation of this part to its assembly in a typical brass-wind instrument.

This invention consists of an improved one-piece mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination for a brass-wind instrument and the method of making the same. In this invention there is provided a smooth separable plating mandrel which tapers outwardly toward each end from the point of separation. The mandrel has exterior dimensions which correspond accurately to the interior dimensions of a mouthpipe-rnouthpiece receiver having optimum acoustical properties. The mandrel is electroplated with a thin layer of a protective metal, such as nickel, gold, tin, platinum, rhodium, palladium, and then plated with a thicker layer of any suitable metal, such as copper or a copper alloy. When the mandrel is separated and removed from the plated part a hollow tubular product is obtained which may be cut to a desired length, which has a smooth plated interior, of a corrosion resistant metal, and which is usable as a one-piece mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver member having optimum acoustical properties.

In FIG. l there is shown a plating tank 10 filled with a suitable plating liquid 12. A plating electrode 14 is positioned within the tank 10 adjacent to a plating mandrel 16. The electrode 14 and mandrel 16 are connected by leads 18 and 2t) respectively to a suitable D.C. power source such as battery 22.

The plating mandrel 16 is shown in an exploded view in FG. 3. The mandrel 16 consists of an elongated mandrel part 24, a short mandrel part 36 and a retaining nut 42. The elongated mandrel part 24 has a very slight taper from its smaller end 26 to its enlarged end 2S. ri'he taper of the mandrel part 24 from the end 26 to the enlarged end 2S corresponds very accurately to the inner dimensions of a mouthpipe for a brass-wind instrument having optimum acoustical properties. The enlarged end 28 oi` the mandrel portion 24 has a threaded recess 3i) therein for insertion of a tool for removal of the mandrel part from an electroformed piece. The mandrel part 24 has a cylindrical supporting portion 32 extending from the smaller end 26 and has a threaded end portion 34 for receiving the retaining nut 42. The smaller mandrel portion 36 has a substantial taper in the opposite direction from the taper of the mandrel portion 24 and tapers outwardly on dimensions which define accurately the inner dimensions of a mouthpiece receiver for a brass-wind instrument having optimum acoustical properties. When the smaller mandrel portion 36 is fitted on the elongated mandrel portion 24 the cylindrical portion 32 extends through the passage 3S in the mandrel portion 36 with the threads 4) therein partially engaging the threads on the cylindrical portion 32. The two mandrel portions 36 and 24 are held rigidly together by the nut 42 which is secured on the threads 34.

The two-part mandrel 16 is placed in the electroforming bath and plated with a thin continuous layer 44 of nickel covering the entire mandrel. The plated mandrel is then plated with a shell or layer 46 of copper or copper alloy to a selected thickness. The plating mandrel is then removed from the plating bath and the parts of the mandrel separated and withdrawn from the shell d5. The plated shell 46 is a one-piece tubular member having an elongated portion 50 which tapers outwardly toward the end 23 ofthe plating mandrel. The shell 46 has a smaller portion 48 which tapers outwardly toward the end 34 of the plating mandrel with a much more pronounced taper than the taper of the portion 50. The elongated tapered portion 5i) of the shell i6 has internal dimensions which correspond to the exterior dimensions of the plating mandrel and which correspond to a mouthpipe having optimum acoustical properties.

The tapered portion 448 of the shell 46 has dimensions which correspond to the dimensions of the mandrel portion 36 which corresponds to a mouthpiece receiver having optimum acoustical properties. The mouthpiece receiver portion 48 may be cut oit as along the dashed line 49 to provide a mouthpiece receiver of suitable length. The nickel layer 44 within the shell 46 provides a smooth continuous layer over the interior of the combined mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver which is resistant to corrosion, more easily cleaned, and has superior acoustical properties. When removed from the mandrel the shell has accurate internal dimensions but may have an exterior surface which is not so smooth as the interior surface. The exterior of the part may, if desired, be subjected to a machining operation or a chemical Stripping operation or a combination of the two to produce the desired external dimensions and surface appearance.

A one-piece mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver combination which is electroformed in the manner above described has internal `dimensions which correspond exactly to the exterior surface of the plating mandrel. A mouthpipe-mouthpiece receiver assembly may be formed more accurately in this manner since there is no springback from a plating mandrel as there is from a drawing mandrel. When the part is cut to proper length it may be assembled in a brass-wind instrument such as a trombone, cornet, or trumpet. In FIG. 5 this part is shown assembled in a cornet with a mouthpiece 52 inserted in the mouthpiece receiver portion 48 and with the enlarged end of the mouthpipe 50 inserted into a sleeve 54 which connects to the rest of the cornet assembly 56.

We claim:

1. In a brass-Wind musical instrument, a unitary electroformed mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver adapted to support and position a mouthpiece and form a tone chamber with optimum acoustical properties adjacent the received end of the mouthpiece, said mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver comprising a one-piece elongated tubular body of seamless and jointless construction including a mouthpipe portion and a mouthpiece receiver portion respectively tapering inwardly from opposite ends of said tubular body to a junction of lesser interior diameter than aoeaea? Cil I.' either end, said mouthpipe portion being relatively long and having an interior surface oi relatively slight taper, and said mouthpiece receiver' portion being relatively short and having a frusto-conical interior surface of greater taper than said mouthpiece portion for receiving and accurately positioning the mouthpiece with respect to said junction, said tubular body comprising an interior electroplating or" corrosion resistant metal and an exterior electroplsting containing at least a rnc'or proportion of copper. said platings `being continuous and in mutual contact throughout the length of said tubular body, and said i11- terior plating having a highly finished interior surface oi accurate circular cross-section having a diameter at any portion thereof which has a predetermined value with minimum tolerance variation so that the spacing between the received end of the mouthpiece and said junction has a predetermined value with minimum tolerance variation.

2. in a brass-wind musical instrument, a unitary electroformed mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver adapted to support and position a mouthpiece and form a tone chamber with optimum acoustical properties adjacent the received end of the mouthpiece, said mouthpipe and mouthpiece receiver comprising a one-piece elongated tubular body of seamless and jointless construction including a mouthpipe portion and a mouthpiece receiver portion respectively tapering inwardly from opposite ends of said tubular body and joined at the smaller ends thereof, said mouthpipe portion being relatively long and having an interior surface of relatively slight taper, and said mouthpiece receiver portion being relatively short and having a frusto-conical interior surface of greater taper than said mouthpipe portion for receiving and accurately positioning the mouthpiece therein, said tubular body comprising an interior electroplating of corrosion resistant metal and an exterior electroplating of metal substantially thicker than said interior electroplating and providing substantial strength to the tubular body, said platings being continuous and in mutual contact throughout the length of said tubular body, and said interior plating having a highly finished interior surface of accurate circular cross-section and having a diameter at any portion thereof which has an accurately predetermined value.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,178,330 Mackey Apr. 4, 1916 1,385,202 Couturier July 19, 1921 1,509,104- Hickernell Sept. 23, 1924 1,694,962 Berry Dec. 11, 1928 2,613,178 Grant Oct. 7, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 115,494 Germany Dec. 12, 190() 378,157 France Aug. l1, 1907 

